The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-21
TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS.
How a Great Business Was Established-The
First Chinaman-Christmas Dainties,
Appetizers and Delicacies.

DR. Fl. G. Carey and two or three other gen.
tlemen share the honor of having introduced the
English sparrow to this community; but 81. II.
Lee is entitled to the credit of having brought
the first live Chinaman to Indianapolis. Mr..
Lee is now entering his twensy-eighth year in
the tea business here, and this Chinaman came
soon after Mr. Lee started. He was a great Gu
rlosity, and for many weeks had a wondering
throng to follow him wherever he went. This
same Chiuaman-by the way, his name is Allie
is in St Louis. where he is doing successful
business. Mr.. Lees own name has a Chinese
tang about it, and it may be that fact the
moro important one that he keeps the best teas
gives him most of the trade of the numerous
Chinese who are here in the laundry business.
Monday is a holiday with tie Celestial laundry
men, and on that day. along in the afternoon, it
is usual thing to see from FIVE to a dozen
of them walking along, duck like, in single file
into Mr.. Lees store at No. 81 West Washing
ton street. to get their tea and rice This store
is the one from which his three branches have
sprung. For eight years it was at the Bates
House, for ten years at the Academy of Music,
and now nearly ten years in its present location.
The Odd-fellows Hall branch opened in
July. 1866, the Madison-avenue store in 1865,
and the Virginia avenue store in 1876. Mr. Lees
ago the late Mr.. W. S. Ling.e, of the Lafayette
Courier, who had erected q new and handsome
business block, offered Mr.. Lee a room in il
rent free il he would start branch in that city.
Mr.. Lees reply was characteristics. Raising his
hat he showed his frosted head, and remarked
that he had quite enough to attend to in Indian
apolis, though thanking the shrewd business
man of Lafayette for his generous offer.
Mr.. Lee has built this great business up by
the most constant care and closest personal
oversight. His four stores are models OF neat
ness and order tour through his West Wash
ington-street store showed the reporter two large
Easements and commodious store-room filled
with teas. coffees. sugars and the most appetz-
ing articles in the Of fruits and fancy family
groceries. In the basement were hundreds up
on hundreds of boxes Of California fruits, and
large importations of French peas. mushrooms.
etc. Mr.. Lee is probably the largest importer
in the State of Crosse &c Backwells famous
pickles and appetizng condiments.
A look through this basement would astonish
even Gen. Fred kpef1er, who is credited with
knowing more about sauces and various table
articles that are ''hot the mouth" than any liv-
ing man. 1t is said of the General that he can't
pass show window in which new brand OF
pickles is displayed. and that once during the
late X ar he delayed movement in order to go
through a grocery and capture dozen bottles or
of worcestershire sauce
Mr.. Lee takes special pride in keeping the
best goods. He carries by far the largest and
best stock of raisns in the city. as we'll as Cali
fornia dried fruits ard other articles previously
mentioned. One of his specialties is the famous
Schumacher's flour, made at Akron. O., which
city.
Each one of the branches is run by thor
oughly ompetent and experienced person educat-
ed in the business ways and methods that have
given Mr. Lee his reputation. Mr.. DeGclyer
has charge of she store at No. Odd-fellows'
Hall, Harry Crossley at the Virginia-avenue
store, aud Charles Crossley at the Madson-ave-
nue. house. The great staple Of all these houses
Is roasted coffees. The roasting is done at the
Virginia avenue house. under Mr.. Lees own
personal supervision, by experienced man
who has done nothing but roast cofees for thir
teen years. The Madison avenue house is
largely used for heavy storage. To illustrate
the quantities in which Mr.. Lee buys, it may be
noted that he has just stored at this house ton
of California dried peaches
just preceding Christmas this year, as in all
previous years, these stores have a great trade,
not only in the staples, but in fancy groceries.
and in oranges and nuts of all kinds. Twenty
sight years business experience and estab-
lished reputation. jealousy maintained, give /,
guarantee that all the goods handled in these
four model establishments of the best.